The Blessing of the Fleet has been a South County tradition for thirty-five consecutive years. What began as a ceremony to ask for "Divine Protection" of those who risk their lives harvesting the sea has blossomed into one of Rhode Island’s most popular weekend-long events.
The Weekend events include:
§ A ten-mile road race involving almost 3,000 runners
§ A seafood festival attended by almost 30,000 people
§ The Blessing of the Fleet that is the original reason for the event
Seafood Festival
Attended by almost 30,000 people each year, the Seafood Festival is a major part of the weekend event.
The Festival, which runs Friday night, Saturday and Saturday night, features a wide variety of culinary delights from the sea (and quite a few from the shore as well). Beer and wine are available for adults, as well as soft drinks and lemonade for the whole family.
Live music performed by a very popular local band provides entertainment as well as the opportunity to dance away the calories. Complete lobster dinners with all of the accompaniments, linguini with clam sauce, barbecued shrimp, a raw bar, stuffies, and much, much, more provide the basis for a great meal. There is also a large variety of entertainment for kids throughout the seafood festival. Face painting and story telling, karate demonstrations, carnival rides, and craft booths all make this a true family event for the 25,000 to 30,000 people who attend each year. A delicious harvest of seafood and other delectable’s prepared in the New England tradition. Live entertainment and refreshments for parents and kids. Rides, clowns, demonstrations, craft booths, face painting, shopping and more!
Schedule
Memorial Square (Next to the Towers)
Ocean Road
July 27 thru July 28, 5:00 to 11:00 pm
Saturday, July 30 , 12:00 noon to 11:00 pm
Blessing Of The Fleet The Blessing of the Fleet itself is a spectacularly colorful event that takes place at noon on Saturday, in Galilee. On a good day, hundreds of vessels line up to parade past thousands of spectators. The Blessing features a colorful parade of commercial and recreational watercraft, large and small. Each parading vessel is blessed by The Bishop with a group of distinguished clergymen, and judged for prizes in three different categories by State and local officials.
The Bishop along with local priests bless each and every decorated vessel as they pass before them and a panel of celebrity judges rate the decorations in a variety of categories. Recent years' judges included the Governor of RI, the Lt. Governor, Senator Reed, Congressman Langevin, Miss Rhode Island and other local dignitaries.
The Blessing Schedule Port of Galilee Saturday July 28 12:00 noon